Contrary to recent reports, the U.S. will maintain its support of
Israel at the United Nations, a U.S. official told reporters on
Monday.

State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood made the comments after
the New York Times had reported earlier Monday that the Obama
administration was considering a series of symbolic measures to force
Israel to halt all construction in West Bank settlements.

While refusing to comment on the New York Times report, Wood
said that both "the President and the Secretary have made clear that
all the parties have responsibilities to fulfill to give Middle East
peace efforts a chance to succeed. And U.S. and Israeli officials are
in intensive discussions on how this can best be achieved."

"We've long worked to ensure that Israel is treated fairly at the
United Nations. That will continue," Wood added.

The deputy spokesman maintained that "Israel is a close friend and
ally, and we remain committed to its security," assuring that the
commitment "will continue."

"I'm not going to comment on this New York Times report, but I
think the President and Secretary have spoken very clearly to where
we are with regard to the settlement question," he said.

Wood concluded by saying that "the United States lives up to its
obligations. Right now, we are focused on trying to get both sides to
adhere to the Roadmap so that we can move forward toward that
two-state solution. And it's not going to be easy, as you know. And
we're going to continue to try to do that."

The White House has yet to officially comment on the New York
Times report.

According to the New York Times article, administration
officials said that measures under discussion include dropping the
United States' near uniform support of Israel at the United Nations
and withholding its usual veto on resolutions critical of Israel.

Among other pressure points, Washington could review loan guarantees
to Israel, diplomats said, or share and coordinate less on security
matters, while the European Union could get tough on trade terms for
produce from settlements.

"There are things that could get the attention of the Israeli
public," the Times quoted a senior administration official as
saying. Nevertheless, the official also said, "Israel is a critical
United States ally, and no one in this administration expects that
not to continue."

Deputy Prime Minister Danny Ayalon, who is currently in New York,
told Haaretz that the discussion did not represent an official
Israeli stance and that the outcome of such debate was unclear as of
yet.

Other Israeli officials confirmed that the U.S. has made no mention
of any such plans for sanctions. The Obama administration has
insisted on a total settlement freeze, but Jerusalem has balked at
this demand claiming that existing communities in the West Bank
deserve continued government attention.

Talk of possible sanctions prompted one senior Israeli official to
complain: "The Netanyahu government is acting the same as its
predecessors. The one who has changed policy is the American
administration. The new administration is trying to get out of
understandings achieved under the Bush administration."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday declared that Israel
would not put life in West Bank settlements on hold, despite the
United States demand that Israel completely halt construction in
existing settlements.

"There are reasonable demands and demands that are not reasonable,"
Netanyahu told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense
Committee.

He was referring to a request made by U.S. President Barack Obama
during a recent meeting in Washington with the premier. Netanyahu,
however, did pledge that Israel would not build any new
settlements.

The prime minister's comments came after Israeli security forces
evacuated the northern West Bank outpost of Nachalat Yosef on
Monday.

The site, near the settlement of Elon Moreh, contained three caravans
and had been described by its residents as a farm, Army Radio
reported.

Shomron Regional Council head Gershon Mesika said structures that
were destroyed would be rebuilt.

"The nation of Israel elected a government that is supposed to care
for the settlements and not destroy them, using hypocritical
legalities as an excuse," Mesika said.

A senior defense official said earlier on Monday that the government
does not intend to destroy any of the 26 outposts slated for
evacuation. The official added that the evacuation will take place
only after discussion with the settlers.

Monday's evacuation came after renewed calls by the United States for
Israel to honor past commitments to remove the outposts. Defense
Minister Ehud Barak, however, said last week that Israel was not
bowing to U.S. pressure in evacuating the sites.

One of the caravans was moved into Elon Moreh during the evacuation,
which took place without incident, according to Army Radio.

Last week, the Civil Administration released the full list of West
Bank outposts where occupants of some buildings will be told they
will be considered illegal residents if they do not leave the site
within three days of the order.

"When a Jew, in America or in South Africa, talks to
his Jewish companions about 'our' government, he means the
government of Israel."